As with so many things lately, much of the Harry Potter fandom has become increasingly controversial – from the actions of the franchise’s producers to the content they release. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses is no exception. Many devoted Harry Potter fans were appalled, expressing that the new quiz show felt forced and did not do the fandom justice, while others found it an entertaining journey back through the series.

Tournament of Houses is a game show that consists of multiple choice questions designed to test the contestants’ HP knowledge. It is hosted by esteemed British actress Helen Mirren and celebrates the movies’s 20th anniversary. The show takes place over four special episodes that aired on TBS and the Cartoon Network over the course of December 2021.

We open on an impressive set: it’s very Harry Potter-esque with its red velvet floor and castle-like backdrop. The audience is divided into sections based on house, where they are all wearing house-themed outfits and masks. At the beginning of each episode the representatives for each house are selected from a flurry of letters shooting out of the set’s fireplace. Although only three people are chosen per house, there are opportunities for the audience to vote on answers and affect the score, too.

The diversity in those selected makes it fun – in the first episode (“Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff”), there’s both a 15-year-old girl and a 77-year-old man. Unfortunately, it’s pretty obvious the contestants were given a script. You can tell that these people are knowledgeable Harry Potter fans, but they over-explain the reasoning behind their answers, giving the impression that they’re just guesses. I understand this show has to appeal to a wide audience, and not all Harry Potter fans know every little detail of the Wizarding World. However, it would have been fun if they had done a lightning round where contestants had to answer lots of questions quickly, proving how much knowledge they really had.

There were several genuine props from the films on set: the Sorting Hat, an astronomy tower model from Dumbledore’s office, and the hat worn by Richard Harris (Albus Dumbledore in Sorcerer’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets). Multiple celebrities made appearances in the show, either in person or on a screen projected to the contestants. Included were Luke Youngblood (Lee Jordan), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) and more.

Yes, this show is far from the best piece of Harry Potter content, but in the end, it’s a lot of fun. My recommendation is to do your best to ignore the cringey scripted bits and enjoy testing your Potter knowledge. 7/10.